Cap structure for bottles



Jan. 1, 1963 J. RAVN CAP STRUCTURE FOR BOTTLES Filed Apri 4 1961 llllrlllliv United States Patent This invention relates to improvementsin caps for pharmaceutical containers or bottles having a removableportion detachably secured to the cap and relates more particularly tonew and improved means for detaching the removable portion or" the cap.

Cap closures for certain types of pharmaceutical bottles have apierceable closure member such as a disk or stopper I formed of rubberor like material and a metallic cap to hold the stopper in place, inmany instances by engaging a shoulder on the neck of the bottle. Suchcaps includes an inner central removable disk portion detachably securedto the outer annular top portion of the cap, for example, by fracturableconnecting bridges. In the conventional closure, the user removes thecentral disk portion by inserting a fingernail beneath the disk to pryit upwardly thereby fracturing the bridge connections and affordingaccess to the rubber stopper which then may be pierced by a hypodermicsyringe.

Various problems have been encountered with the above-describedconstruction. For example, removal of the disk in the normal userequires both hands of the user, one to support the bottle and the otherto grip the disk adjacent the bridge connections to remove it from thecap. The proximity of the hand to the bridges presents the possibilityof injury on the rough and sharp edges of the bridges created on removalof the disk. Further in some instances before assembly of the caps onbottles, the connecting bridges have been broken in tumbling aboutduring production and transportation. I have found such breakadge to bedue to instability of the disk and its tendency to tilt or be tilted ofthe plane of the top. When this occurs an edge of another cap caught andtwisted under an upturned edge is enough to break the disk away.

The cap of the present invention is an effective replacement for thetype heretofore discussed since it overcomes the objectionable featuresenumerated and can be produced easily and economically. In accordancewith the present invention, a cover member is connected to the innerportion of the cap which overlies the inner portion and is actuatablewith respect to the outer portion to detach the inner portion therefrom.The cover member has at least a portion thereof projecting outwardlybeyond the outer portion of the cap so that the user may support thebottle in one hand and engage the cover member with the thumb of thehand to remove the inner disk portion. This one-piece, temperproofconstruction permits removal of the central disk portion by a onehandoperation where the users hand does not come in contact with the centraldisk or the farctured bridge connections, whereas, prior capconstructions of the type discussed above required both hands of theuser to remove the disk portion and additionally exposed the hand of theuser to the jagged edges of the fractured bridge connections. By thepresent invention, the fingersof the user are removed from the diskportion and accordingly the possibility of contaminating the sterilestopper of the bottle is precluded. In the illustrated form of theinvention the cover embraces the top of the cap providing a seal toprevent dirt and other foreign matter from contaminating the contents ofthe bottle. Further, the cover member protects the cap and precludespremature breakage of the bridge connections which may otherwise resultduring production and transportation before assembly.

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The foregoing and other objects of the invention and the various detailsof the construction and arrangement thereof are hereinafter more fullydescribed and set forth with reference to the accompanying drawings, inwhich:

FIG. 1 is a side elevation of a cap made in accordance with the presentinvention secured in position on a bottle;

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the cap with a portion of the cover elementbroken away to more clearly illustrate the construction;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged sectional view taken on line 33 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a sectional view similar to FIG. 3 showing the removal of thecentral disk portion; and

FIG. 5 is an enlarged side elevational view partly in section of the capprior to its assembly to the bottle.

Referring more specifically to the drawings, reference numeral 10designates generally a container or bottle of conventional form, aportion of which is shown in FIG. 1. As seen in FIG. 3, a stopper 11which may be formed of rubber or like material has a hollow plug portion12 adapted to fit within the neck 13 of the bottle, a peripheral flange14 which seats against the lip 15 of the bottle and a central thin wallportion 16 which may be pierced, for example by the needle of ahypodermic syringe, to gain access to the bottle contents. The stopper11 may be of any conventional form and the present invention is notconcerned with the particular form employed.

A cap 17 of generally cup-like form, preferably of a sheet material suchas aluminum, serves to hold the stopper in place and to seal thecontents of the container. The cap 17 has a top portion and a peripheralflange 19 depending from its outer edge. This flange is adapted to becrimped or spun to provide an inwardly extending portion 20 below ashoulder provided by a lip 15 on the bottle thereby to secure the cap 17permanently to the bottle.

The top portion of the cap includes an outer annular portion 21 whichterminates along its inner peripheral' edge in a downwardly olfsetportion 27 which is adapted to displace a portion of the resilientstopper upon application over the stopper and an inner removable diskportion 22 disposed centrally of the annular portion and which isdetachably connected to the edge 27 of the annular portion 21, in thepresent instance, by three circumtferentially spaced fracturable bridgemembers 30.

In accordance with the present invention, a cover member 32 is connectedto the inner removable disk portion 22 and is actuatable with respect tothe outer annular portion 21 to remove the central disk portion from thecap. As best shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the cover member 32 is generallydisk-like and overlies the top portion of the cap, being secured at itscenter to the removable disk portion 22. The cover member 32 ispreferably made of a plastic material and in the present instance has anextension 34 depending from the undersurface thereof to engage in anopening 36 in the disk portion 22 and having an out turned lockingflange to thereby secure the cover to the cap. It is noted that thecover may be secured to the cap in this manner by fusing or welding ofthe plastic to the aluminum cap. The integral cap and cover constructionprovides a one-piece tamperproof cap which is economical to manufacture.The cover 32 has a pe- -ripheral flange 38 depending from its outerperipheral tilted or raised during production and transportation priorto assembly with the bottle.

With reference to FIG. 4, it can be seen that the user may detach thecentral disk portion 22 from the cap when it is desired to use thecontents of the bottle by supporting the bottle in the palm of the handwith the tip of the thumb engaging the flange 38 of the cover. Uponexerting an upward force on the cover, it is pried upwardly, with theportion thereof diametrically opposed from the point engaged by the userserving as the fulcrum of a lever and supporting the cover as thebridges 30 are fractured. It is readily appreciated that it is notnecessary for the hand of the user to contact the sharp edges of thedisk portion or those on the top of the cap. Moreover since the fingersof the user are removed from the disk portion during removal thereof,there is no likelihood of contaminating the sterile stopper of thebottle.

From the foregoing, it will be apparent that the present inventionprovides an improvement in cap closures for pharmaceutical bottles orthe like which is of one-piece tamperproof construction and wherein theremovable disk portion may be readily and easily removed by a one-handoperation without exposing the hand of the user to any harmful edges atthe tear points. Further the cap of the present invention provides aneffective seal for the container to safeguard the contents of thecontainer from contamination. Additionally the cap is relatively simplein construction and can be manufactured easily and economically.

While a particular embodiment of the present invention has beenillustrated and described herein, it is to be understood that changesand modifications may be incorporated within the scope of the followingclaims.

I claim:

1. In a container cap of cup-like form adapted to hold in place a bottlestopper, a top construction comprising inner and outer portions,fracturable bridge means connecting said inner and outer portions, meanson said outer portion for securing the cap to said bottle to hold thestopper in place, and a cover member overlying said inner portion andconnected thereto being actuatable with respect to the outer portion tobreak said bridge means and separate said inner portion from said outerportion.

2. The container of claim 1 wherein said cover member is of generallydisk-like form and extends radially outwardly beyond the outerperipheral edge of said annular portion, said cover member having aflange depending from the outer peripheral edge thereof surrounding saidcap whereby said cap is nested in said cover member to provide a seal.

3. In a container cap of cup-like tform adapted to hold in place abottle stopper, a top construction comprising an annular portion and aremovable disk portion disposed centrally of said annular portion,fracturable bridge means connecting said disk and annular portions, aflange depending from the outer peripheral edge of said annular portionadapted to secure said cap to said bottle, the inner edge of saidannular member being offset downwardly and adapted to displace part ofthe top of stopper to provide an effective seal, and a cover memberoverlying said disk portion and connected thereto being actuatable withrespect to said annular portion to break said bridge means and separatesaid disk portion from said annular portion.

4. In a cap for pharmaceutical bottles or the like, a top constructionconsisting of inner and outer portions, means detachably connecting saidinner and outer portions, means defining an opening in said innerportion, a cover member overlying said inner portion including anextension depending from the under surface thereof engaging through saidopening and locking means at the outer end of said extension engagingunder said inner portion to secure said cover member to said innerportion, said cover member being actuatable with respect to said outerportion to detach said inner portion [from said outer portion.

5. A top construction as claimed in claim 4 wherein said locking meanscomprises an out turned flange.

6. In a cap for pharmaceutical bottles or the like, a top constructionconsisting of an annular portion and a removable disk portion disposedcentrally of the annular portion, fracturable means detachablyconnecting said disk portion to said annular portion, means defining anopening in said disk portion, a cover member overlying said innerportion including an extension depending from the under surface thereofengaging through said opening and an out turned locking flange at theouter end of said extension adapted to engage under said disk portion tosecure said cover member to said disk portion, said cover member beingactuatable with respect to said annular portion to fracture saidconnecting means and thereby detach said disk portion from said annularportion.

7. A top construction as claimed in claim 6 wherein at least a portionof said cover member extends radially outwardly beyond the peripheraledge of said annular portion to provide means for actuating said covermember with respect to said annular portion.

8. A top construction as claimed in claim 7 wherein said cover member isof generally disk'like form and has a flange depending from the outerperipheral edge thereof whereby said cap is nested in said cover memberto provide .a seal.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS

1. IN A CONTAINER CAP OF CUP-LIKE FORM ADAPTED TO HOLD IN PLACE A BOTTLESTOPPER, A TOP CONSTRUCTION COMPRISING INNER AND OUTER PORTIONS,FRACTURABLE BRIDGE MEANS CONNECTING SAID INNER AND OUTER PORTIONS, MEANSON SAID OUTER PORTION FOR SECURING THE CAP TO SAID BOTTLE TO HOLD THESTOPPER IN PLACE, AND A COVER MEMBER OVERLYING SAID INNER PORTION ANDCONNECTED THERETO BEING ACTUATABLE WITH RESPECT TO THE OUTER PORTION TOBREAK SAID BRIDGE MEANS AND SEPARATE SAID INNER PORTION FROM SAID OUTERPORTION.